Special CBI court allows Vanzara to return to Gujarat

Ahmedabad: A special CBI court today relaxed bail conditions of retired IPS officer D G Vanzara, a key accused in the alleged fake encounter case of Ishrat Jahan by allowing him to enter and stay in Gujarat.

A court of special judge S J Raje today allowed his bail modification plea to enter and stay in Gujarat, but on the condition that he will mark his presence in the court on every Saturday.

Vanzara was granted bail in the encounter case involving Jahan and three others in February last year on condition that he will not enter Gujarat.

He was also barred from leaving the country. The former officer had applied for bail modification last month after LeT terrorist David Headley in his deposition before a Mumbai court revealed that Jahan was a LeT operative.

Vanzara served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in the city crime branch when a Mumbra-based college girl Ishrat, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed in an encounter with Gujarat Police on the outskirts of the city on June 15, 2004.

He was also made accused by the CBI in fake encounter cases of Soharabuddin Sheikh and Tulsi Prajapati as it was during his stint as head of state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) that those encounters took place.

He was arrested on April 24, 2007, by CID crime in connection with the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, and was behind bars before being granted bail.

In September, 2014, a Mumbai court granted him bail in the Soharabuddin Sheikh and Tulsi Prajapati alleged fake encounter cases.